Surviving Silly Season…………..

Christmas is around the corner, so here are some quick & very simple tips when looking at damage limitation over this festive period!

-My main tip is to enjoy yourself!! Spend time as much with your friends and loved ones as you can and do not beat yourself up psychologically (or physically for that matter!) if you do have a treat or are perhaps a bit more lenient with your food choices and meal plans. It is once a year, don’t be too strict on yourself.

-Don’t let Christmas dinner be the only day over the holiday period when you consume protein (turkey/chicken/fish) and fresh veg. This should be a staple of your diet anyway, aim to keep your protein content high over the festive period.

-Stay hydrated, start every day with at least 500ml of cold water. Fill a bottle and leave it in the fridge over night, try squeezing fresh lemon into the water and drinking first thing on an empty stomach. Aim for a target of at least 1 litre per 25 kg of total bodyweight.

-Focus on keeping Vitamin C levels high……In case you are wondering, Terry’s chocolate orange does not count as a source of vitamin c!

-Try drinking peppermint tea in between larger meals, some studies have linked the benefits of doing so with calmed/improved digestion and reduced bloating.

-Eat fish! Christmas time can be a great time to try/experiment with a variety of fish dishes.

-Use walks as part of your routine over the holiday period, just a simple brisk 20minute walk with friends/family will help in terms of energy whilst clearing your mind.

-Get creative with the leftover Turkey. Try making fresh soups or curry.

-In terms of training, I wouldn’t advise aiming to beat any records or looking at huge marks in increased performance. Keep your training as consistent as possible but if you have trained hard all year round, allowing yourself the extra rest day here and there will not hinder your progress.

-This can also be a great time to focus on your training with regards to your goals/aspirations/next phase of your own personal development, whilst also reflecting on your training over the last year.

Ideally, you should know now what your training focus is for January 2017.

That’s all today, until the next time,

Tristan ‘5 more sleeps’ Buttle.

Improve the next 12 hours of your life…………………….

When we talk about the effects of training, we can all be guilty of becoming focused on ultimately one thing: changing how we LOOK.

However, today I wish to quickly encourage you to consider the other factors involved in training with particular focus on changing how you FEEL, not just how you LOOK.

Let’s have a simple look at the effect that physical activity has on your brain, with particular reference to your mood……….

When you exercise or participate in regular physical activity (the key being on the word regular) your body will release chemicals called Endorphins.

Here’s the science bit, I’ll keep it quick because it’s the weekend…………..

Endorphins are neurotransmitters which pass along signals from one neuron to another. They are made in the pituitary gland, sections of the spinal cord, and the brain.

They mainly interact with the receptors in cells in the region of your brain that can block pain and control emotion, by having an analgesic effect, in turn helping you to combat potential stress.

Accordingly to one study (university of Vermont, USA) a mere 20 minute session can be enough to elevate your mood for up to 12 hours!

In some cases exercise has been proven to be as effective as medication for treating depression.

> Imagine how you would benefit in ALL aspects of your own life if your mood was lifted for the next 12 hours?

> What would you tackle differently?

> How would you and others around you benefit?

> Would you see things differently?

> Would others see you differently?

Depression & mood swings can very often be linked to feelings of not having control in life. If an individual starts to take control of their body, they may in turn start to control other aspects of their live.

It would be completely wrong of me to suggest that exercise can solve or cure all things to all people, as we are all very complicated individuals.

However, what I am suggesting is that by starting with small regular bouts of physical activity you certainly begin to elevate your mindset to a greater place to help you tackle any issues in your way.

That’s all for today, until the next time,

Tristan ’12 hours’ Buttle.

P.S – If you are unsure about how to get started, give me a shout.

Christmas Shopping -HELP!

Christmas Shopping……….

There I was…. wandering around the shop aimlessly

……..trying to find what I was looking for…

No joy……

I popped into town last week to get a gift for someone, but couldn’t find it anywhere in the shop!

I didn’t even know where to start……

So I asked the first shop assistant I saw….she didn’t know, but she suggested another girl may know……

Still no joy……

So girl 2, asked girl 3 &……….SUCCESS!

Hallelujah, a Christmas miracle!!

My point today is that you get where you want to be far quicker by simply asking the right person the right questions……

If you don’t know the answers (like girl 1 & girl 2), that’s ok, you just need to find somebody that does!

I could of spent/wasted far more of my time attempting to find what I was looking for and I may or may not have got there eventually but what’s the point when I can accelerate the results by getting advice & seeking the right person to help me?

This is EXACTLY the same with your health & fitness goals.

You are NOT expected to know all the answers, you just need to ask the right questions…

That’s all for today, until the next time,

Tristan ‘sign me up to amazon prime’ Buttle

P.S – it’s always better to confidently not know something, than to under confidently try to know something………